Pearland (/ˈpɛərlænd/PAIR-land) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. Most of the city is in Brazoria County, with portions extending into Fort Bend and Harris counties. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 91,252,[3] up from a population of 37,640 at the 2000 census. Pearland's population growth rate from 2000 to 2010 was 142 percent, which ranked Pearland as the 15th-fastest-growing city in the U.S. during that time period, compared to other cities with a population of 10,000 or greater in 2000. Pearland is the third-largest city in the Houston MSA, and from 2000 to 2010, ranked as the fastest-growing city in the Houston MSA and the second-fastest-growing city in Texas.[4] As of 2015 the population had risen to an estimated 108,821.[5]

The area that is now Pearland had its humble beginnings near a siding switch on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway in 1882. When a post office was established in 1893, the community was originally named "Mark Belt". On September 24, 1894, the plat of "Pear-Land" was filed with the Brazoria County courthouse by Witold von Zychlinski, a man of Polish nobility.[6] At the time Pearland had many fruits harvested by residents. Zychlinski saw the pear trees and decided that "Pearland" would make a good name for the community.[7]

Pearland was promoted by developers Allison & Richey Land Company as an "agricultural Eden". The first subdivision was called "Suburban Gardens". The Galveston hurricane of 1900 and the Galveston hurricane of 1915 destroyed most of the fruit trees and slowed growth for a considerable period of time, and caused a period of desertification in the area. In 1914, with agriculture rebounding and the end of desertification, Pearland had a population of 400, but a devastating freeze in 1918 was another setback to the local farming enterprises. Oil was discovered nearby in 1934, which led to the development of the Hastings Oilfield, though it did not spur much growth, as the population fluctuated between 150 and 350. From the 1970s, the town has grown to its present-day population.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Pearland has a total area of 47.5 square miles (122.9 km2), of which 47.0 square miles (121.8 km2) is land and 0.46 square miles (1.2 km2), or 0.94%, is water.[3]

In 2009 the city reported that the combined area of the city limits and of nearby unincorporated areas, including Country Place and Silverlake, was 72 square miles (190 km2).[9]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there had been 37,640 people, 13,192 households, and 10,659 families residing in the city. The population density was 957.0 people per square mile (369.5/km²). There were 13,922 housing units at an average density of 354.0 per square mile (136.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city as of 2000, was 82.6% White, 5.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.6% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 6.1% "some other race", and 1.8% "two or more races". Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.2% of the population.[13]

The median income for a household in the city as of 2012 is $123,706, and the median income for a family is $146,096. [14] Males had a median income of $89,359 versus $44,570 for females. The per capita income for the city was $56,306. About 2.4% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

The City of Pearland stated in 2009 that the estimated population in the city limits was 91,000, and that city population and the population of nearby unincorporated areas, including Country Place and Silverlake, was 125,000 altogether.[9]

Pearland itself is ethnically diverse; 62 languages are spoken in Pearland public schools.[7]

In the 1800s, Pearland consisted of prairie. Residents harvested fruit and vegetables such as cantaloupes, corn, figs, pears and watermelons. In the 1930s and 1940s Pearland had many dance halls and beer joints that entertained people from the Hastings and Manvel oil fields.[7]

Town Center streetscape

By 1990, the city limits had extended into Harris County.[15] In the 1990s, home developers began buying large tracts of land, changing the geography of the city. Former rice fields filled with houses. The historic town center of Pearland is at the intersection of Texas State Highway 35/Main and Broadway. West Pearland has a lot of suburban development, while East Pearland has older houses and, according to Maggie Galehouse of the Houston Chronicle, Pearland's "rural roots still show" in the east side. Pearland's main east-west corridor is Farm to Market Road 518/Broadway.[7]

Pearland's labor force and job base grew substantially with its population growth. The number of jobs in the community grew from 9,169 in 2000 to 17,552 in 2008. The total labor force that resides in the community increased from approximately 20,000 in 2000 to 45,368 in 2010. A majority of the community's labor force commutes daily into the Texas Medical Center and other employment centers in the region.[4] Pearland also has many people employed by NASA at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.[4]

Pearland's workforce and community amenities have made Pearland an attractive location for large medical-related companies seeking new quarters. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic's new 170,000-square-foot (16,000 m2) administrative office building in Shadow Creek Ranch was expected to open in the fall of 2013, with 800 employees. This follows two other medical manufacturing facilities: Cardiovascular Systems, which opened in 2010, and Merit Medical Systems, which began construction in 2011. The Merit project, 118,000 square feet (11,000 m2), will provide facilities for 220 research and development employees.[16]

Other employers are a reflection of Pearland's suburban economy, with the vast majority of it retail.

According to a 2014 Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in Pearland were:[17]

Pearland was one of two Texas cities to average double-digit growth in retail sales from 2004 to 2009, and its retail market was the state's fastest growing over the five-year periods ending 2009, 2010, and 2011.[18] Prominent mixed-use lifestyle and shopping complexes service residents with national retailers and dining establishments.[4]

Silverlake Village Shopping Center – Silverlake Village is anchored by Super Target, and features a host of other national retailers including Michael's, Marshalls, PetSmart, Ross, DSW, Office Depot and Randalls. Joe's Crab Shack, Saltgrass Steakhouse, Chili's, and Johnny Carino's as some of the restaurants located here.

The Crossing @ 288 – Best Buy, JCPenney, Old Navy, Bed Bath and Beyond, Half Price Books and other stores and restaurants such as Olive Garden and Chipotle.

In 2017, Dr. Periyanan Vaduganathan, a cardiologist and chief of staff at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital, opened Pearland's first free charity clinic named SEVA Clinic. The nonprofit serves as a walk-in clinic for primary care cases, such as diabetes, hypertension and other non-emergency cases. SEVA Clinic is housed inside the facilities of another local nonprofit serving the city named the Pearland Neighborhood Center and is located at 2335 N. Texas Avenue Pearland, TX 77581.[19]

On December 5, 2011, The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County purchased 15.26 acres (6.18 ha) of land near Hwy. 288 and FM 518 in the Pearland area for a future "Park and Ride" facility. Alan Parker Properties LP represented the seller, Carolyn and Frank Wenglar, in the $3.95 million land sale. Metro, which currently operates 29 Park and Rides throughout Harris County, said that the new facility will give Brazoria County residents another option for traveling to the Texas Medical Center and other downtown Houston destinations. The new facility was scheduled to begin operations in the fall of 2013, but property was given to the city in a cash swap. The city is exploring a private run service or other uses for the property.[27]

Pearland is served by State Highway 288 which connects the city to Houston. FM 518, locally known as Broadway, is the main east-west artery of the city. State Highway 35, locally called Main Street and known as Telephone Road, is the main north-south artery of the city. Given the spread out area, SH 288 serves the westernmost part of the city, while SH 35 serves the easternmost part as both connect Pearland to Houston (FM 865/Cullen Blvd also connects Houston as well in between).
The Texas State Highway Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway) services the northern part of Pearland. It is located adjacent to the northern Brazoria County and southeastern Harris County border. It also serves as one of the largest tollways in the Houston area.[29]

Some of the Pasadena ISD portion is served by Moore Elementary School and the rest is served by South Belt Elementary School.[35] One part is served by Morris Middle School and Beverly Hills Intermediate while the other is served by Melillo Middle School and Thompson Intermediate School.[36][37] All Pasadena ISD residents in Pearland are zoned to Dobie High School (in Houston).[38]

The Clear Creek ISD portion is served by Weber Elementary School,[39] Westbrook Intermediate School,[40] and Clear Brook High School, all in unincorporated Harris County).[41]

The Houston ISD portion is served by Almeda Elementary School,[42] Lawson Middle School (formerly Dowling Middle School),[43] and Worthing High School (in Houston).[44]

The Pearland Library at 3522 Liberty Drive is a part of the Brazoria County Library System. As of September 13, 2008 the library was closed for many months due to Hurricane Ike storm damage.[46] It reopened in March 2009.[47]

The system also operates the Pearland Westside Library,[48] located on 6,000 square feet (560 m2) of space in the Shadow Creek Ranch Town Center.[49]

^"Annexations". City of Pearland. Retrieved April 24, 2018. The City’s 2017 annexation procedures are complete, and 3 of the 5 areas originally proposed for incorporation are now a part of the Pearland City limits. Annexation of Areas A, C and L were approved by the Pearland City Council,[...] See: Map, Land Use, Survey Map.

^"Pearland Westside Library" (Archive). Shadow Creek Ranch Town Center. Retrieved March 21, 2014. "The facility, opened May 2013, consists of 6,000 square feet and is located on Business Center Drive at Memorial Hermann Drive in the back of the HEB Center."

This list is incomplete.Houses in the community of Silverlake have Pearland, Texas street addresses, but are outside of the Pearland city limits.(*) It was in the Pearland city limits from November 27, 2017 until March 26, 2018.